Packaging for a dental x-ray film

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns packaging for a dental x-ray film, comprising a light protective envelope to receive the dental x-ray film, said envelope having two tearaway strips and an envelope which protects against x-rays designed to hold a lead sheet that offers protection against x-rays. The light protective envelope is made from a moisture resistant material. The envelope which protects against x-rays is formed by a pocket on one of the lateral faces of the light protective envelope which is created by an additional side panel and is open on one side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to packaging for a dental x-ray film, which has alight-protective envelope to receive a dental x-ray film, saidprotective envelope being provided with two tear-open strips, and has anx-ray protective envelope for a lead foil protecting againstx-radiation.

A package of this kind is subject matter of DE-A-44 46 247. In thepackage explained in this disclosure the light-protective envelope withthe dental x-ray film is disposed in an easily opened x-ray protectiveenvelope. The latter contains at the same time the necessary lead foil.With this packaging it is brought about that the x-ray protectiveenvelope with the lead foil can be used again and again, so that afterthe x-ray is taken only the light-protective envelope needs to bediscarded. The reuse of the x-ray protective envelope does assume thatit, like all dental tools, is first disinfected after use and thensterilized in an autoclave, which is often considered to be burdensome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,423 there is disclosed a folded light-protectiveenvelope of paper for an x-ray film, wherein the light-protectiveenvelope accommodates a lead film in a projecting tab. The entire systemis inserted into a wrapping of plastic which is welded on all sides andhas a tear-open strip.

The invention is addressed to the problem of designing a package of theabove kind such that it will be convenient to handle and can be made atthe lowest possible cost, and in which the material portion that must bedisposed of after each use remains as small as possible.

This problem is solved according to the invention in that thelight-protective envelope consists of a moisture-resistant material andthe x-ray protective envelope is formed by a pocket of thelight-protective envelope, said pocket being provided on one lateralsurface of the said light-protective envelope and is formed by anadditional wall surface and opens to one side.

Such a package can be made very cheaply, because it consists of onlythree layers of material. Two of them are joined together on all sidesand enclose the dental x-ray film in a light-tight manner. The thirdlayer of material forms the pocket for the lead foil. The lead foil canbe inserted into it before each x-ray photograph and removed from itafter the x-ray. Thus the lead foil can be used again and again, so thatonly the light-protective envelope with the pocket attached to it needsto be discarded. It is also possible to insert several lead foils intothe pocket if an especially great protection against radiation isdesired.

Contact with the lead upon insertion of the lead foil into the pocketand removing it can be prevented in a simple manner by enclosing thelead film in a temperature and liquid-resistant wrapper of plastic,polypropylene, for example, being especially advantageous as a materialfor this wrapper, because it withstands the temperatures required inautoclaving. The wrapper can be configured as a pocket or as a coatingof a temperature-resistant plastic.

It is especially advantageous if, according to another embodiment of theinvention the outer wall surface of the pocket for the lead foilconsists of a transparent material. It is thus possible to see at aglance on which side the lead foil is situated, so that it is assured,when an x-ray photograph is taken, that the lead foil is on the sidefacing away from the x-ray machine.

The package can be manufactured especially cheaply if it consists ofpolyethylene or polypropylene.

Opening the light-protective envelope is especially easy if tear-openstrips are formed on it in a known manner. The tear-open strips,according to an especially advantageous embodiment of the invention aregiven a dual function, and serve additionally to make the pocket to opentoward one side. For this purpose a preferred embodiment can becharacterized by the fact that the tear-open strips fold down againstone lateral face of the light-protective envelope and are joined to thelateral face on two sides to form the pocket.

Alternatively, however, it is also possible for the tear-open strips tofold against opposite lateral faces of the light-protective envelope,and to be joined to the particular lateral face. Thus one pocket open atthe top is formed on two opposite sides. Therefore it is possible toinsert a second x-ray film in the pocket that does not contain the leadfoil, so that the package of the invention can also be used for doublephotographs.

The invention admits of various embodiments. Two of them are representedschematically in the drawing and are described below. The drawing showsin

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the package of theinstant invention after the first production step;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a first embodiment of the package of theinstant invention after the second production step;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section through the package of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the finished package of FIGS. 1 to4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section through the package of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section through the package of a second embodimentof the instant invention; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical section through the package of a second embodimentof the instant invention showing a lead foil in a pocket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows two superimposed sheets 9 and 10 with a dental x-ray film 2inserted. This can be a single film that is folded over at the top toform the superimposed sheets 9 and 10. It is also possible, however, toweld two separate sheets together. The areas of sheets 9 and 10 whichextend downward beyond the dental x-ray film 2 form tear-open strips 3and 4 as also shown in FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 it is shown that the tear-open strips 3 and 4 arefolded together 180° until they lie against the sheet 10, which forms aside surface 12 shown in FIG. 4. Then a welding is performed so that thetear-open strips 3 and 4 are welded to the sheet 10 and the latter iswelded around the dental x-ray film 2 to the sheet 9 at adhesion point8.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show that a pocket 6 serves to accommodate a lead foil 7and in this embodiment, depending on the length of the tear-open strips3 and 4 occupies only a portion of the height of the package. The pocket6 is open on one side and is produced by an additional wall surface 5,and provided on one lateral surface 12 of the light protective envelope1.

FIG. 7 shows that the two tear-open strips 3 and 4 can be folded fromthe position shown in FIG. 2 to different lateral faces 12 and 12 a.Then a total of two pockets 6 and 6 a, open at the top, are formed. Theupper edge of the individual tear-open strip 3 and 4 can be made tocurve convexly upward to enable one to grip it better to tear it open.

What is claimed is:
 1. A package for a dental x-ray film, whichcomprises a light-protective envelope made of a moisture-resistantmaterial having two opposite lateral surfaces and adapted to accommodatea dental x-ray film, and which has an x-ray protective envelopecomprising a lead foil holding pocket for protecting against x-rays, andtwo tear-open strips, folded onto the opposite lateral surfaces of thelight-protective envelope and being joined on two sides with saidlateral surfaces of the light protective envelope to form two pockets,one of said two pockets forming the pocket for the lead foil, wherein anouter wall surface of the lead foil holding pocket comprises atransparent material.
 2. A package according to claim 1, wherein saidpackage is made of polyethylene or polypropylene.
 3. In combination, apackage for a dental x-ray film, which comprises a light-protectiveenvelope made of a moisture-resistant material having two oppositelateral surfaces and adapted to accommodate a dental x-ray film, andwhich has an x-ray protective envelope comprising a lead foil holdingpocket for protecting against x-rays, and two tear-open strips, foldedonto the opposite lateral surfaces of the light-protective envelope andbeing joined on two sides with said lateral surfaces of thelight-protective envelope to form two pockets, one of said two pocketsforming the pocket for the lead foil, and a lead foil in said leadfoil-holding pocket.
 4. A package according to claim 3, wherein the leadfoil is enclosed in a temperature resistant and liquid resistantwrapping of plastic.
 5. A package according to claim 4, wherein theouter wall surface of the pocket for the lead foil comprises atransparent material.
 6. A package according to claim 4, wherein saidpackage is made of polyethylene or polypropylene.
 7. A package accordingto claim 5, wherein said package is made of polyethylene orpolypropylene.
 8. In combination, a package for a dental x-ray film,which comprises a light-protective envelope made of a moisture-resistantmaterial having two opposite lateral surfaces and adapted to accommodatea dental x-ray film, and which has an x-ray protective envelopecomprising a lead foil holding pocket for protecting against x-rays, andtwo tear-open strips, folded onto the opposite lateral surfaces of thelight-protective envelope and being joined on two sides with saidlateral surfaces of the light protective envelope to form two pockets,one of said two pockets forming the pocket for the lead foil; a dentalx-ray film held within said light-protective envelope; and a lead foilin said lead foil-holding pocket.
 9. In combination, a package for adental x-ray film, which comprises a light-protective envelope made of amoisture-resistant material, said envelope comprising two opposed wallelements adapted to form a dental x-ray film pocket therebetween, saidx-ray film pocket being sealed around said x-ray film, said opposed wallelements extending beyond said x-ray film pocket to thereby form a pairof tear-open strips to be used to tear said x-ray film pocket open toremove said x-ray film for processing, said tear-open strips beingfolded alongside the outer surface of at least one of said wall elementsand partially joined thereto to form a lead foil receiving pocket,wherein one of said tear strips is folded alongside the outer surface ofone of said wall elements to form said lead foil receiving pocket, andthe other of said tear strips is folded alongside the outer surface ofthe other of said wall elements to form another pocket; and and a leadfoil in said lead foil-receiving pocket.
 10. In combination, a packagefor a dental x-ray film, which comprises a light-protective envelopemade of a moisture-resistant material, said envelope comprising twoopposed wall elements adapted to form a dental x-ray film pockettherebetween, said x-ray film pocket being sealed around said x-rayfilm, said opposed wall elements extending beyond said x-ray film pocketto thereby form a pair of tear-open strips to be used to tear said x-rayfilm pocket open to remove said x-ray film for processing, saidtear-open strips being folded alongside the outer surface of at leastone of said wall elements and partially joined thereto to form a leadfoil receiving pocket, wherein one of said tear strips is foldedalongside the outer surface of one of said wall elements to form saidlead foil receiving pocket, and the other of said tear strips is foldedalongside the outer surface of the other of said wall elements to formanother pocket; a dental x-ray film held within said dental x-ray filmpocket; and a lead foil in said lead foil-receiving pocket.